The Celestial Doe
by huntingtimeconsultingthings
Summary: A Fairy Tail NaLu fanfiction based on the Fairy Tale The White Doe (Which is an amazing little story).
1. Chapter 1

In a land far, far away, lies the Kingdom of Fiore, a small peaceful nation filled with magic. There ruled King Jude and Queen Layla. They were kind benevolent rulers who loved each other dearly. They never mentioned it, and continued as there was nothing missing; but, sometimes when they looked at other people's children, their faces grew sad, and their courtiers and attendants knew the reason why, they craved a child.

One afternoon, Queen Layla sat near a small stream that flowed through the castle gardens towards Hargeon harbor. The calm, slow-moving water was littered with lilly pads and the cool, clear serene waters only were disturbed by the ripples of Aquarius, the Queen's celestial spirit and most treasured friend.

"Oh Aquarius, if only I had a child. I could finally be content with the world." Sighed Layla dramatically.

Aquarius rolled her eyes and scoffed at the Queen's dramatic airs.

"Layla please, are you sure you want one of those snot-nosed brats running around the castle?"

"Aquarius! Children are not brats! They are a gift to all of humanity," Layla shouted

"Besides, don't you want to maybe someday settle down and start a family with Scorpio?"

"Yeah maybe SOMEDAY! It's not really an important factor in our relationship right now. I'm content just enjoying his company, and enjoying his body cause he's hot."

Blushing and stuttering madly at what Aquarius had implied, Layla gave her a shocked look. She was about to reply when she was interrupted by the scuttling of a crab.

"Great queen," said the crab, "I am here to tell you that the Celestial Spirit King has agreed to grant your request, ebi" But first you must permit me to lead you into the celestial spirit realm, which, though nearby, has never been seen by mortal eyes. Humans are unable to breathe in our world, I'll take you right away; that is, if you will trust yourself to me."

"Of course Cancer, thank you for asking the great king for me." Layla cordially responded, while standing up, making her way over towards Cancer.

Aquarius clicked her tongue disapprovingly, "Don't be too disappointed if it doesn't work out."

"Don't worry it will."

Layla turned her head around to face Cancer and made ready to depart.

"Ebi, please put on this dress from the spirit world so you will be able to cross over." Layla did as she was instructed, grabbed onto one of Cancer's appendages and was promptly sucked into the next realm leaving a shocked Aquarius behind.


	2. Chapter 2

Phantom Lord was a castle in the darker, more sinister, part of Fiore. Their King constantly caused grief and trouble for others simply because his subject and he could. When their King of Phantom Lord Jose Porla heard of the beloved Queen Layla had been trying to concieve a child, he couldn't help but smirk and laugh evilly at the opportunity presented.

~~.~~~~~~.~~~~~~~~

The golden gates, leading to the spirit world, opened with intimidating precision. As the gates swung back, Layla was greeted by six celestial spirits each bearing a single key made of gold and precious stones.

"Madam,' they said, "His Royal Majesty of the spirits, thanks you for this mark of confidence, and has the happiness to tell you that in a short time you will have a little daughter."

The Queen, so enchanted by this news, nearly fainted. She was overjoyed at the thought of soon having a little her share the world with her. When she was able to speak coherently, she professed severe gratitude for their promised gift.

"I do not possess the vocabulary to express just how eternally grateful I am to all of you." She declared emotionally as she swept the room with her eyes, glancing at each beloved spirit in return. "But now I am afraid I must take my leave, as my husband will think I have been kidnapped or devoured by a hungry dragon."

~~~~~.~~~~~~.~~~~~~

In a few short months she gave birth to a beautiful blonde thing, just as the spirits foretold. Jude and Layla were overwhelmed with happiness. They named her Lucy for their castle, Love and Lucky. Lucky was missing the K to spell Lucy, almost prophetically.

She remembered the spirits who had granted her deepest wish and thought it right to thank them. Bidding her ladies bring her the posy of jewelled keys which had been given her at the palace, she took each key in her hand and called by name, and, in turn, each celestial being appeared before her.

The spirits entered the queen's chamber followed by Nikora, "The Canis Minor," who carried their presents and looked much prouder than their masters and mistresses. One by one their burdens were spread upon the ground, and no one had ever seen such lovely little things. Everything that a baby could possibly wear or play with was there, and besides, they had other and more precious gifts to give her, which only children who have celestial spirits for godmothers can ever hope to possess.

They were all gathered round the heap of pink cushions on which the baby lay asleep, when a shadow seemed to fall between them and the sun, while a cold wind blew through the room. Everybody glanced up, and there was Jose Porla who grinned demonically at the guests.


	3. Chapter 3

"Well isn't this lovely." Jose Porla sadistically cooed as he jumped down from the window where he had perched. "What do you want?" Layla asked furrowing her brows as Jose started to pace in front of her child with a maniacal gleam to his eyes.

"Layla, you know exactly what I want. I want to cause some trouble and maybe take your kingdom."

"We will never go down without a fight!" The celestial spirits bellowed. Jose stopped pacing to turn and face the room. "Oh, no is that so? I suppose I'll just have to go." He annoyingly rhymed. As the congregation collectively groaned, Jose made quick movements towards the child placed in the center of the room. He shot an incorrigible dark mattered beam of darkness magic at the baby, hitting her small form. Layla shrieked in concern and rushed to her side.

"Well that certainly wasn't lucky, was it?" Jose chuckled as he scrambled towards the door.

"Virgo! Catch him!"

"Yes mistress!" Virgo burrowed up beneath him but was incredibly dismayed to find Jose Porla's form was only a thought projection.

"Mistress, I'm sorry but he got away."

"It's fine Virgo just please help my baby!

"Right away mistress!"

Virgo swiftly crossed the room to kneel by the form shrouded in darkness. While detecting the malignancy of the magic, she gently placed her hand on the infant's forehead and rubbed small circles at an attempt to soothe the suffering figure.

"Will she be alright Virgo?"

"Yes Mistress but I'm afraid that if she should see the sun ever before her seventeenth birthday, who knows what might happen?."

"Never. *sniff* see the sun again?"

"Yes Ma'm but she'll be perfectly safe if we build a basement for her!


	4. Chapter 4

Orders were sent to build a perfect set of underground rooms for the princess to live in. Aquarius, Virgo, Cancer, and many other celestial entities additionally assisted the project.

At the end a beautiful home sprang up, close to that of the king and queen, but different from every place in the world by having no windows, and only a door right under the earth. However, daylight was hardly missed, so brilliant were the multitudes of tapers that were burning on the walls.

Up to this time the princess's history, closely similar to the histories of many a princess that you may have read about; when the period of her imprisonment was nearly over, her fortunes turned for the worst. For almost seventeen years her celestial spirits had taken care of her, read, amused, and taught her, so that when she could enter into the world she would not be behind the daughters of other kings in what makes a princess charming and accomplished.

Everyone loved her dearly, but her lady-in-waiting Levy loved her most of all; and as the  
>princess's seventeenth birthday drew nearer, the script mage began to worry lest<br>something terrible should happen.

"Do not let her out of your sight," said Levy to the queen, "and meanwhile, let her portrait be painted and carried to the neighboring Courts in order for kings to see how far her beauty exceeds that of every other princess, and that they may demand her in marriage for their sons." And so it was done; and as the mage had prophesied, all the young princes fell in love with the picture; but the last one to whom it was shown could think of nothing else, and refused to let it be removed from his chamber, where he spent whole days gazing at it. His father, the king, was exceedingly surprised at the change which had come over his son, who generally passed all his time hunting for dragons or training with his fire magic. His anxiety was increased by a conversation he overheard between two of his courtiers. They feared the prince must be going mad, so desolate and solem his once rambunctious exuberance had become.

Without losing a moment the king went to visit his son, and no sooner had he entered the room than the young man flung himself at his father's feet.

"You have betrothed me to a bride I don't love!" cried he; "but if you will not agree to break off the match, and ask for princess Lucy, I shall die of misery!"

These words much displeased the king, who felt that, in breaking off the marriage would almost certainly be bringing on his subjects a long and bloody war; so, without answering, he turned away, hoping that a few days might bring his son to reason. But the prince's condition grew rapidly so much worse that the king, in despair, promised to send an embassy at once to Lucy's father. This news miraculously cured the young man in an instant; and he began to plan out every detail, which were necessary to make the train of the envoy, whose name was Gray, as splendid as possible. He longed to form part of the embassy himself, if only in the disguise of a page; but this the king would not allow, and so the prince had to content himself with searching the kingdom for everything that was rare and beautiful to send to the princess. Indeed, he arrived, just as the embassy was starting, with his portrait, which had been painted in secret by the court painter.

The king and queen wished for nothing better than to wed their daughter to such a great and powerful family, and received the ambassador with every sign of greeting. They even wished him to see princess Lucy, but this was prevented by Levy, who feared some ill might come of it.

"And be sure you tell him," added she, "that the marriage cannot be celebrated till she is seventeen years old, or else some terrible misfortune will happen to the child." So when Gray, surround by his succession, made a formal request that the princess Lucy might wed his master's son, the king was greatly honoured, and would gladly give his consent; but that no one could even see the princess till her seventeenth birthday, as the spell laid upon her in her cradle by a spiteful fairy, would not cease to work till that was past. The ambassador was greatly surprised and disappointed, but he knew too much about celestial spirits to venture to disobey them, therefore he had to content himself with presenting the prince's portrait to the queen, who lost no time in carrying it to the princess. As the girl took it in her hands she was suddenly drawn to the subjects eyes, they were dark obsidian onyx which burned with ferocity matched with a subtle hazel, creating a passionate yearning deep within her; making her body flush all the way down to her toes.

"How would you like to have a husband like that Lucy? He's kinda hot." asked the queen, laughing.

"Mother! As if I knew anything about husbands! And yes he's kinda attractive…. I don't know I didn't really notice" replied Lucy, who was madly blushing.

"Well, he'll be your husband in three months," answered the queen, ordering the prince's presents to be brought in. The princess was very pleased with them, and admired them greatly, but the queen noticed that all the while her eyes constantly strayed from the softest silks and most brilliant jewels to the striking portrait of the prince.

The ambassador, finding that there was no hope of his being allowed to see the princess, took his leave, and returned to his own court; but here a new difficulty arose. The prince, thoroughly repleted with joy as Lucy was indeed going to be his bride, was bitterly disappointed that she had not been allowed to return with Gray, as he had foolishly expected; and never having been taught to deny himself anything or to control his feelings, he fell as ill as he had done before. He would eat nothing nor take pleasure in anything, but lay all day on a heap of cushions, gazing at the picture of the princess.

"If I have to wait three months before I can marry the princess I'll die!" was all this spoilt boy would say; and at length the king, in despair, resolved to send a fresh embassy to Lucy's father to implore him to permit the marriage to be celebrated at once. "I would have presented my plea in person, he added in his letter, "but my great age and infirmities do suffer me to travel; however my envoy has orders to agree to any arrangement that you may propose."

On his arrival at the palace Gray preached his young master's cause as fervently as the king could have done, and entreated that the princess might be consulted in the matter. The queen hastened to the furnished underground, and told her daughter of the diminished state of the prince. Lucy sank down at the news, but soon came to herself again, and set about inventing a plan which would enable her to go to the prince without risking the ominous pronounced prophecy over her by the wicked fairy.

"Ah Ha!" she exclaimed joyfully at last. "Let's build a carriage through no light can permeate, and let it be brought into my room. I will then get into it, and we can travel swiftly during the night and arrive before dawn at the palace of the prince. Once there, I can remain in some underground chamber, where no light can enter."

"How clever you are," cried the queen, embraced her in arms. She hurried away to tell the king.

"What a cool wife our prince will have!" said Gray bowing low; "but I must hasten back with the tidings, and to prepare the underground chamber for the princess." And so he departed.

In a few days the carriage commanded by the princess was ready. It was made of white leather, scattered over with large golden wheels, and lined inside with silver brocades embroidered with green spiral patterns. It had no windows, of course; but Levy, whose counsel had been asked, had managed to light it up with a soft glow that came from the word light, which she had written in the air.

It was carried straight up into the great hall of the basement, and the princess stepped into it, followed by her faithful maid of honour, Mirajane, and by her other lady in waiting Lisanna, who also had fallen in love with the prince's portrait and was bitterly jealous of her mistress.

The fourth place in the carriage was filled by Lisanna's mother, who had been sent by the queen to look after the three young people.

Now Barakiel, an angel, godfather of the princess Angel, to whom the prince had been betrothed before the picture of Lucy had made him faithless. He was very angry at the slight put upon his godchild, and from that moment kept careful watch on the princess. In this journey he saw his chance, and it was he who, invisible, sat by Lisanna, and put malignant thoughts into the minds of both her and her mother.

The way to the city where the prince lived ran, for the most part, through a thick forest and every night when there was no moon, and not a single star could be seen through the trees, the guards who travelled with the princess opened the carriage to give it an airing. This went on for several days, till only a twelve hours journey lay between them and the palace.

Lisanna persuaded her mother to cut a great hole in the side of the carriage with a sharp knife which she herself had brought for the purpose. In the forest the darkness was so intense that no one perceived what she had done, but when they left the last trees behind them, and emerged into the open country, the sun was up, and for the first time since her babyhood, Lucy found herself in the light of day.

She looked up in surprise at the dazzling brilliance that streamed through the hole; then gave a sigh which seemed to come from her heart. The carriage door swung back, and by magic, a white doe sprang out, and in a moment was lost to sight in the forest. But, quick as she was, MiraJane, her maid of honour, had time to see where she went, and jumped from the carriage in pursuit of her, followed at a distance by the guards.

Lisanna and her mother looked at each other in surprise and joy. They could hardly believe in their good fortune, for everything had happened exactly as they wished. The first thing to be done was to conceal the hole which had been cut, and when this was managed (with the help of the vengeful angel, though they did not know it), Lisanna hastened to take off her own clothes, and put on those of the princess, placing the crown of diamonds on her head. She found this heavier than she expected; but then, she had never been accustomed to wear crowns, which makes all the difference.


	5. Chapter 5

At the gates of the city, the carriage was stopped by a guard of honour sent by the king as an escort to his son's bride. Though Lisanna and her mother could, of course, see nothing of what was going on outside, they plainly perceived the shouts of welcome from the crowds along the streets.

The carriage stopped in the vast hall which Gray had prepared for the reception of the princess. The grand chamberlain and the lord high steward were awaiting her, and when the false bride stepped into the brilliantly lighted room, they bowed low, and said they had orders to inform his highness the moment she arrived. The prince, whom the strict etiquette of the court had prevented from being present in the underground hall, was burning with impatience in his own apartments.

"So she's here!' cried the prince, throwing a fireball as he had been pretending to practice his magic. "Well, was I right? Is she pretty?" The ministers looked at each other, and made no reply; till at length the chamberlain, who was the bolder of the two, observed:

"My lord, as to her beauty, you can judge of that for yourself. No doubt it is as great as you say; but at present it seems to have suffered, as is natural, from the fatigues of the journey."

This was certainly not what the prince had expected to hear. Could the portrait have flattered her? He had known of such things before, and a cold shiver ran through him; but with an effort he kept silent from further questioning, and only said:

"Has the king been told that the princess is in the palace?"

"Yes, highness; and he has probably already joined her."

"Then I will go too," said the prince.

Weak as he was from his long illness, the prince descended the staircase, supported by the ministers, and entered the room just in time to hear his father's loud cry of astonishment and disgust at the sight of Lisanna.

"There has been treachery at work," he exclaimed, while the prince leaned, dumb with horror, against the doorpost. But the lady in waiting, who had been prepared for something of the sort, advanced, holding in her hand the letters which the king and queen had entrusted to her.

"This is the princess Lucy," said she, pretending to have heard nothing, "and I have the honour to present to you these letters from my liege lord and lady, together with the casket containing the princess' jewels."

The king did not move or answer her; so the prince, leaning on the arm of Gray, approached a little closer to the false princess, hoping against hope that his eyes had deceived him. But the longer he looked the more he agreed with his father that there was treason somewhere, for in no single respect did the portrait resemble the woman before him. Lisanna was so short that the dress of the princess bellowed at her ankles, and so dramatically less busty than her counterpart the outfit refused to stay up. Besides that her nose was smaller, and her hair was a bleached white.

In his turn, the prince stood rooted to the spot. At last he spoke, and his words were addressed to his father, and not to the bride who had come so far to marry him.

"We have been deceived," he said, "and it will cost me my life." And he leaned so heavily on the envoy that Gray feared he was going to faint, and hastily laid him on the floor. For some minutes no one could attend to anybody but the prince; but as soon as he revived the lady in waiting made herself heard.

"Oh, my lovely princess, why did we ever leave home?" cried she. "But the king will avenge the insults that have occurred when we tell him how you have been treated."

"I will tell him myself,' replied the king in wrath; "he promised me a wonder of beauty, he has sent me a sorry replacement! I am not surprised that he has kept her for seventeen years hidden away from the eyes of the world. Take them both away," he bellowed, turning to his guards," and lodge them in the state prison. There is something more to learn of this matter."

His orders were obeyed, and the prince, loudly wailing; complaining of his sad fate, was led back to bed, where for many days he lay in a disarrayed state. At length he slowly began to gain strength, but his sorrow was still so great that he could not bear losing his mate, and shuddered at the notion of taking his proper part in the court ceremonies. Unknown to the king, or to anybody but Gray, he planned that, as soon as he was able, he would make his escape and pass the rest of his life alone in some solitary place. It was some weeks before he had regained his health sufficiently to carry out his design; but finally, one beautiful starlit night, the two friends stole away, and when the king woke next morning he found a letter lying by his bed, saying that his son had gone, he knew not where. He wept bitter dragon sized tears at the news, for he loved the prince; but he felt that perhaps the young man had need time away, and he trusted to time and Gray's influence to bring the wanderer home.

And while these things were happening, what had become of the white doe? When she sprang from the carriage she was aware that some fate had changed her into an animal, yet, till she saw herself in a stream, she had no idea what it was.

"Is it really, I, Lucy?" she said to herself, weeping. "What wicked fairy can have treated me so. Shall I never take my own shape again? My only comfort is, in this great forest, full of lions and dragons, my life will be a short one."

Now the Levy was as much grieved at the sad fate of the princess as Lucy's own mother, could have been if she had known of it. Still, she could not help feeling that if the king and queen had listened to her advice the girl would by this time be safely in the walls of her new home. However, she loved Lucy too much to let her suffer more than could be helped, and it was she who guided Mirajane to the place where the white doe was standing, cropping the grass which was her dinner.

At the sound of footsteps the ethereal creature lifted her head, and when she saw her faithful companion approaching she bounded towards her, and rubbed her head on MiraJane's shoulder. The maid of honour was surprised; but she was fond of animals, and stroked the white doe tenderly, speaking gently to her all the while. Suddenly the beautiful creature lifted her head, and looked up into MiraJane's face, with tears streaming from her encompassing brown eyes. A thought flashed through her mind, and quick as lightning the girl flung herself on her knees, and cradling the animal cried, "My princess! Oh my dear princess!" cried she; and again the white doe rubbed her head against her, for though the spiteful fairy had taken away her power of speech, she had not deprived her of her reason and emotional sympathy!

All day long the two remained together, and when MiraJane grew hungry she was led by the white doe to a part of the forest where pears and peaches grew in abundance; but, as night came on, the maid of honour was filled with the terrors of wild beasts which had beset the princess during her first night in the forest.

"Is there no hut or cave we could go into?" asked MiraJane. But the doe only shook her head; and the two sat down and wept with fright.

Then Levy, who, in spite of her anger, was very soft-hearted, was touched at their distress, and flew quickly to their help on a scaley iron dragon.

"I cannot take away the spell altogether,' she said after reassuring that her dragon menacing but goodnatured mannerisms were safe; she continued, "for the Angry God is stronger than I; but, I can shorten the time of your punishment, and am able to make it less hard, for as soon as darkness fall you shall resume your own shape."

To think that by-and-by she would cease to be a white doe-indeed, that she would at once cease to be one during the night-was, for the present, joy enough for Lucy and she skipped about on the grass in the prettiest manner.

"Go straight down the path in front of you,' continued the fairy, smiling as she watched her; 'go straight down the path and you will soon reach a little hut where you will find shelter." And with these words she vanished, leaving her hearers happier than they ever thought they could be again.

An old woman was standing at the door of the hut when MiraJane drew near, with the white doe trotting by her side.

"Good evening!" she said; "could you give me a night's lodging for myself and my doe?"

"Certainly I can," replied the old woman. And she led them into a room with two little white beds, so clean and comfortable that it made you sleepy even to look at them.

The door had hardly closed behind the old woman when the sun sank below the horizon, and Lucy became a girl again.

"Oh, MiraJane! What would I have done if you had not followed me," she whined. And she flung herself into her friend's arms in a transport of delight.

Early in the morning MiraJane was awakened by the sound of someone scratching at the door, and on opening her eyes she saw the white doe struggling to get out. The little creature looked up and into her face, and nodded her head as the maid of honour unfastened the latch, but bounded away into the woods, and was lost to sight in a moment.

Meanwhile, the prince and Gray were wandering through the wood, till at last the prince grew so tired, that he lay down under a tree, and told Gray that he had better go in search of food, and of some place where they could sleep. Gray had not gone very far, when a turn of the path brought him face to face with the old woman who was feeding her doves before her cottage.

"Could you please give me some milk and fruit?" asked he. "I am very hungry myself, and, besides, I have left a friend behind me who is still weak from illness."

"Certainly," answered the old woman. "But come and sit down in my kitchen while I catch the goat and milk it."

Gray was glad enough to do as he was told, and in a few minutes the old woman returned with a basket brimming over with oranges and grapes.

"If your friend has been ill he should not pass the night in the forest,"

"I have room in my hut-tiny enough, it is true; but better than nothing, and to that you are both heartily welcome."

Gray thanked her warmly, and by this time it was almost sunset, he set out to fetch the prince. It was while he was absent that MiraJane and the white doe entered the hut and of course, having no idea that in the very next room was the man whose childish impatience had been the cause of all their troubles.

In spite of his fatigue, the prince slept badly, and as soon as it was light he rose; bidding Gray to remain where he was, as he wished to be alone. He strolled out into the forest and walked on slowly, just as his fancy led him, till, suddenly, he came to a wide open space, and in the middle was the white doe quietly eating her breakfast. Enraptured by the sight of the stellar being, he took no notice of the shadow creeping towards the deer. She bounded off at the sight of a man, but not before the shadow, who had fastened his bow, had let fly several arrows, which, realizing the dilemma, the prince took care that the arrows would do her no harm. But, quickly as Lucy ran, she soon felt her strength failing her, for seventeen years of life in a tower had not taught her how to exercise her limbs.

Luckily, the princeman was too weak to follow her far, and a turn of a path brought her close to the hut, where MiraJane was awaiting her. Panting for breath, she entered their room, and flung herself down on the floor.

When it was dark again, and she was once more the princess Lucy, she told MiraJane what had happened her.

"I feared the Angry Gods, and the cruel beasts," said she; "but somehow I never thought of the dangers that are men. I do not know now what saved me."

"You must stay quietly here till the time of your punishment is over," answered MiraJane. But when the morning dawned, and the girl turned into a doe, the longing for the forest came over her, and she sprang away as before.

As soon as the prince was awake he hastened to the place where, only the day before, he had found the white doe feeding; but of course she had taken care to go in the opposite direction. Greatly disappointed, he tried first one green path and then another, and at last, wearied with walking, he threw himself down and went fast asleep.

Just at this moment the white doe sprang out of a thicket near by, and started back trembling when she beheld him lying there. Yet, instead of turning to flee, as she felt an uneasiness about, something made her tremble. Though she decided against her better judgement to go and look at him. As she gazed a thrill ran through her, for she felt that, worn and wasted though he was by illness, it was the face of her destined husband.

Gently stooping over him she nudged his forehead, and at her touch he awoke.

For a minute they looked at each other, and to his amazement he recognized the white doe which had escaped him the previous day. But in an instant the animal was aroused to a sense of her danger, and she fled with all her strength into the thickest part of the forest. A man stole out of the thicket of relatively tall and slim stature with mildly short, spiky hair jutting outwards, with a long fringe left hanging over the upper left part of his face. Quick as lightning the prince was on her track, but this time it was with determination to stop that strange man.


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey guys thanks so much for following this story! It's my first fanfiction and now it's finally at the end! Please enjoy the last installment. RnR**

"Pretty doe! pretty doe! stop! I won't hurt you,' cried the pink headed prince, but his words were carried away by the wind.

At length the doe could run no more, and when the prince reached her, she was lying stretched out on the grass, waiting for her death. But instead the prince knelt at her side, and stroked her, and made her fear nothing, as he would take care of her. So he fetched a little water from the stream in his horn hunting cup, then, cutting some branches from the trees, he twisted them into a litter which he covered with moss, and laid the white doe gently on it.

For a long time they remained thus, but when Lucy saw by the way that the light struck the trees, that he sun must be near its setting, she was filled with alarm lest the darkness should fall, and the prince should behold her in her human shape.

"No, he must not see me for the first time here," she thought, and instantly began to plan how to get rid of him. Then she opened her mouth and let her tongue hang out, as if she were dying of thirst, and the prince, as she expected, hastened to the stream to get her some more water. When he returned, the white doe was gone.

That night Lucy confessed to MiraJane that her pursuer was no other than the prince, and that far from flattering him, the portrait had never done him justice.

"I can't let him meet me like this," wept the girl, MiraJane comforted her, and reminded her that in a short time all would be well.

The prince was very angry at the flight of the white doe, for whom he had taken so much trouble, and returning to the cottage he poured out his adventures and his wrath to Gray, who could not help smiling.

"She shall not escape me again," cried the prince. 'If I hunt her every day for a year, I will have her at last.' And in this frame of mind he went to bed.

When the white doe entered the forest next morning, she had not made up her mind whether she would go and meet the prince, or whether she would shun him, and hide in thickets of which he knew nothing. She decided that the latter was best; and so it would have been if the prince had not taken the very same direction in search of her.

Quite by accident he caught sight of her golden skin shining through the bushes, and at the same instant she heard a twig snap next to him. In a moment she was up and away, but the prince, not knowing the shadow's man had returned, allowed the strange man to aim an arrow at her leg, which brought her to the ground.

The young man's heart cried out in pain as he saw the beautiful creature fall. The man in the thicket, which, in reality, was the last part of the punishment sent by the Angry God. The young man felt immense anxiety as he ran hastily up to where the white doe lay, and did his best to soothe the pain she felt. First he brought her some water, and then he fetched some healing herbs, and having crushed them in his hand, laid them on the wound.

"Ah! Who dare hurt you?," cried he, resting her head upon his knees; "and now you may never walk again!"

For some time the doe lay quietly where she was, but, as before, she remembered that the hour of her transformation was near. She struggled to her feet, but the prince would not hear of her walking, and thinking the old woman might be able to dress her wound better than he could, he took her in his arms to carry her back to the hut. But, small as she was, she made herself so heavy that, after staggering a few steps under her weight, he laid her down, and tied her fast to a tree with the scaley white scarf he always wore. This finished, he went away to get help.

Meanwhile MiraJane had grown very uneasy at the long absence of her mistress, and had come out to look for her. Just as the prince passed out of sight the scarf danced before her eyes, and she happen upon her delicate princess bound to a tree. With all her might she worked at the knots, but not a single one could she undo, though all appeared so easy. She was still busy with them when a voice behind her said:

"Pardon me, fair lady, but it is MY doe you are trying to steal!"

"Excuse me, good knight," answered MiraJane, hardly glancing at him, "but it is MY doe that is tied up here! And if you wish for a proof of it, you can see if she knows me or not. Touch my heart, my little one," she continued, dropping on her knees. And the doe lifted up its fore-foot and laid it on her side. "Now put your arms round my neck, and sigh." And again the doe did as she was bid.

"You are right,' said the prince; "but it is with sorrow I give her up to you, for though she was wounded on my watch, I love her deeply."

To this MiraJane answered naught; carefully raising up the doe, she led her slowly to the hut.

Now both the prince and Gray were quite unaware that the old woman had any guests besides themselves, and, following afar, were much surprised to behold Mira Jane and her charge enter the cottage. They lost no time in questioning the old woman, who replied that she knew nothing about the lady and her white doe, who slept next the chamber occupied by the prince and his friend, but that they were very quiet, and paid her well. Then she went back to her kitchen.

"Do you know," said Gray, when they were alone, "I am certain that the lady we saw is the maid of honour to the Princess Lucy, whom I met at the palace. And, as her room is next to us, it will be easy to make a small hole through which I can confirm my suspicions." So, taking a knife out of his pocket, he began to saw away the woodwork. The girls heard the grating noise, but fancying it was a mouse, paid no attention, and Gray was left in peace to pursue his work. At length the hole was large enough for him to peep through, and the sight was one to strike him dumb with amazement. He had guessed truly: the tall lady was MiraJane herself; but the other-where had he seen her? Ah! now he knew-it was the lady of the portrait!

Lucy, in a flowing dress of green silk, was lying stretched out upon cushions, and as MiraJane bent over her to bathe the wounded leg, she began to talk:

"Oh! let me die," cried she, "rather than go on leading this life. You cannot tell the misery of being a beast all the day, and unable to speak to the man I love, to whose impatience I owe my cruel fate. Yet, even so, I cannot bring myself to hate him."

These words, low though they were spoken, reached Gray, who could hardly believe his ears. He stood silent for a moment; then, crossing to the window out of which the prince was gazing, he took his arm and led him across the room. A single glance was sufficient to show the prince that it was indeed Lucy; and how another had come to the palace bearing her name, at that instant he neither knew nor cared. Stealing on tip-toe from the room, he knocked at the next door, which was opened by Mira Jane, who thought it was the old woman bearing their supper.

She started back at the sight of the prince, whom this time she also recognised. But he thrust her aside, and flung himself at the feet of Lucy, to whom he poured out all his heart!

Dawn found them still conversing; and the sun was high in the heavens before the princess perceived that she retained her human form. Ah! how happy she was when she knew that the days of her punishment were over; and with a glad voice she told the prince the tale of her

enchantment.

So the story ended well after all; and Levy, who turned out to be the old woman of the hut, made the young couple such a wedding feast as had never been seen since the world began. And everybody was delighted, except Lisanna and her mother, who were put in a boat and carried to a small island, where they had to work hard for their living.


End file.
